COC filing period: 'Generally peaceful' for 3 days straight

MANILA – The filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2025 national and local elections has been "generally peaceful" for three days straight, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported Thursday.

"Base sa report ng ating operation center, walang kahit anong insidente ng karahasan, violence, irregularity, or disturbance sa lahat ng sites natin ng filing (Based on the report of our operation center, there has been no incident of violence, irregularity, or disturbance in our filing sites)," Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.

"Therefore, patuloy po itong generally peaceful (the staging of the filing continues to be generally peaceful)."

Nine party-list organizations submitted their certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN), while 12 senatorial aspirants formalized their bid on Oct. 3.

Three Partido Demokratiko Pilipino candidates – actor Phillip Salvador, and reelectionists Senators Christopher Lawrence Go and Ronald Dela Rosa – filed their COC.

Also filing their papers for senator were Dr. Willie Ong of Aksyon Demokratiko, Jaime Balmas and Elpidio Rosales of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, as well as independent aspirants Jose Bunilla, Robert Agad, Khaled Casimra, Jimmy Salapantan, Rex Noel, and Roel Pacquiao.

The party-lists, on the other hand, were composed of 1-AGILA, SWERTE, FPJ PANDAY BAYANIHAN, BHW, SOLID NORTH, HEALTH WORKERS, ANGAT, AHON MAHIRAP, and KAMALAYAN.

These latest filers bring the total party-lists seeking a House of Representatives seat to 35 and the senatorial bets to 39.

Garcia said the final list of COCs filed throughout the eight-day filing period would be out by the third week of October to allow the public to see and verify for themselves the personal details of local officials running for office in their areas.

"(This is the) first time kasi dati, kapag nag-file ng candidacy, hindi alam ng botante sino sila kasi hindi naman natin binibigay ang COC kahit kanino (This is the first time because previously, voters cannot immediately discern the aspirants because we don't give the COC to anyone)," he said.

Meanwhile, he assured the public that the Comelec will not disqualify an aspirant merely for reasons of poverty.

"Hindi tayo magdi-disqualify o magca-cancel ng candidacy ng isang nuisance candidate dahil lang sa kahirapan, dahil lang sa wala siyang pera – hinding hindi gagawin ng komisyon 'yan (We will not disqualify or cancel the candidacy of a nuisance candidate because of poverty – the commission will never do that)," he said.

Political hopefuls in the May 2025 polls have until Oct. 8 to file their COC and CON-CANs. (PNA)